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eric1514's avatar
eric1514
Explorer
Dec 21, 2014

Engine stalls, flashers fail after rain

I was in CA last week and drove through some pretty fierce rain for hours. Everything worked great and I had no leaks. I stayed at my BIL's house where it also rained lightly everyday. Again, everything was fine.

I left while it was raining cats and dogs but eventually I drove out of the storm and it was clear skies for the next two hours. Needed gas so I took an exit off the freeway. Turned left and left again and the engine died. I had to muscle it (no power steering) to the side of the road. It started right back up and ran perfectly the next two days.

Also, later on the day it stalled, I lost both blinkers and the hazards. When I parked that night, I fiddled with fuses but all were good. The next morning everything worked again, perfectly.

I've lost a little confidence and would like to find the doohickey that shorted out and protect it from water, but I don't know where to start.

Any ideas?

TIA,
Eric

7 Replies

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  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Dec 21, 2014
    It's hard to troubleshoot an intermittant problem when it involves apparently two different systems. Normally primary electrical is immune to water, It can have a fire hose turned on it. But not milliamp computer circuits. I've had OEM tachometer circuits leak current from pin to pin and shut down the engine ignition.

    Check with the dealer for the CHASSIS for a technical service bulletin dealing with this issue. TSB's will detail the approved fix.
  • darsben's avatar
    darsben
    Explorer II
    Dec 21, 2014
    Check all battery connections specially grounds. Clean all of them INCLUDING where the negative terminal is grounded to the frame
  • eric1514's avatar
    eric1514
    Explorer
    Dec 21, 2014
    enblethen wrote:
    You said it died. Did the engine shut down and the lights on the instrument panel come on or did it shut down with no lights?
    No instrument lights would indicate failure between the battery and the fuse block.
    Lights would indicate issue in the ignition system


    The engine stopped and all the lights on the dash came on. I turned the key off, waited 5 seconds then restarted the engine all dash lights were normal, no "check engine" light or any other abnormalities.

    @MrWizard-The tripped auto reset makes sense, if such a reset exists that would shut off the engine and reset in less than 10 secs. I'll look for something like that.

    I do think the blinkers and stalling are coincidental. I can't say for sure they both failed at the same time but I do know the engine reset quickly, but the blinkers took overnight to come back.
  • MrWizard's avatar
    MrWizard
    Moderator
    Dec 21, 2014
    fuse OK.. nothing is shorted

    maybe a auto reset overload ( 0.5in by 1.0 in) silver box, got wet or the lights shorted in the wet and tripped the auto reset

    other wise something got wet, internal ground, and quit working until it dried out

    you will have to trace the circuits
    get the wiring diagram for your coach, find out if any of the auto resets are in the flasher circuit

    SHORTS..blow fuses or trip the auto resets (dc breakers)

    could be a weak/loose connection that quit working when wet
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Dec 21, 2014
    You said it died. Did the engine shut down and the lights on the instrument panel come on or did it shut down with no lights?
    No instrument lights would indicate failure between the battery and the fuse block.
    Lights would indicate issue in the ignition system
  • othertonka's avatar
    othertonka
    Explorer
    Dec 21, 2014
    I would check the air cleaner for rain water soaking the paper element. Some MH's had the air intake positioned so the air intake would take in the rain from the front grill.
    No idea about the electrical problem.

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